Surgical gowns



Aug; 12, 1958 p. TAMES SURGICAL GowNs Filed June 6. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR.

DANIEL TAN\ ES ATTORNEY D. TAMES SURGICAL GOWNS Aug. 12, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6. 1955 INVENTOR.

DANIEL TAMES ATTORNEY pim! SURGICAL GOWNS Daniel Temes, Chicago, Ill.Application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,414 1 Claim. (CI. 2- 114 Thisinventon relates to surgeons gowns of the type worn when performing asurgical operation. More particularly, it is directed to a novel garmentof this type readly adaptable for wear by surgeons having differentClothing size requirements and incorporating special features wherebyits sleeves and other parts may be effectively kept in adjustedposition.

Surgeon's Operating gowns are usually donned from the front, having aback opening closed by draw strings or other suitable fastening means.Various sizes of these gowns must be kept on hand in the Operating roomto accommodate surgeons of differng physiques. This not only involves aconsiderable investment but also requires time and attention to locatethe right size of gown for a particular surgeon. Additionally, it isdifficult to keep the garment neatly in position on the wearer toprevent loose folds, baggy sleeves and the like from interfering withthe surgeons movements or contacting exposed portions of the patient sanatomy.

To this end, the present invention s directed to a novel surgical gownincorporatng panels or sections including elastic cords or threads. Bycontraction or expansion (stretching) of these panels or sections, thegown may be conformingly fitted to persons of different sizes andphysiques. Thereby, one of the invention gowns may replace severaldiiferent size surgeon's gowns, considerably reducing the necessaryinventory of such gowns.

As a further feature, the sleeves of the present gown are provided withelastic sections, such as elastic bands substantially midway of theforearm and upper arm portions, and elastc strips extending lengthwiseof the sleeves. Thereby, when a sleeve is pulled up the arm, it iseffectively maintained in adjusted position so as not to slide down atan inauspicious moment and interfere with a surgical manipulation orcontact the patienfs bed' For an Understanding of the inventionprinciples, reference is made to the following description of typicalembodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are, respectively, front and back views of one form ofsurgical gown embodying the invention;

Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, front and back views of another embodimentof the gown; and

Fig. 5 is ,a front elevation of a sleeve illustrating a modified form ofthe gown shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a surgical gown embodying the invention isshown as having a fully closed front 11 including a collar 12, areinforcing panel 13 just below the collar, and a large front panel 14.Seams 16 extending across the front and around the back define a hem orthe like receiving a draw string 15. A second draw string 17 extendsthrough collar 12.

The draw strings and 17 have their ends exposed at the rear of thegarment so that, by overlapping edges 18 of open `'back 20, the back maybe closed by tying drawstrings 15 and 17. As is known, this type of gownis nited States Parent 2346158& Patented Aug. 12, 1 958 donned from thefront, being usually held by a nurse or other assistant While thesurgeon extends his arms through the sleeves 25 of the garment. Theassistant then ties the garment at the back, so that no fastening meansappear at the front of the garment to interfere With the surgeonsmanipulations.

Sleeves 25 are stitched into the usual sleeve openings by seams 21, andhave preferably rib-knitted cufis 22 at their outer ends for grippingthe Wearer's wrist just above hand 23.

In accordance with the invention, an elastic strip 39 is formed alongeach sleeve, as by stitching therealong elastic threads 31 in thestretched condition. Strips 313 extend the `full length of the sleevesfrom cufis 22 to the upper ends of the sleeves, and the elastic threads31 are anchored to the sleeve material at frequent intervals along thesleeve. In addition, a similar elastic strip or band 35 extends acrossthe front 11, being formed of elastic threads 36 stitched to thematerial of the front in stretched condition and anchored thereto atfrequent intervals.

When the surgeon dons the gown 10, the elastic strips 35 contract tohold the gown closely to the body at the chest level and without anyprojecting :folds. The gown material is tucked into small pleats by thecontracting strips 35.

The elastic strips 30 on sleeves 25, being stretched when the sleeve isfully extended, continually exert an upward pull on cutfs 22.consequently, should the surgeon push the cuffs 22 up to bare hisforearm 2 2- the strips 30 effectively maintain the sleeves 25 above theelbow. Thus, no attention is needed to hold the sleeves 25 retracted.

The strips Si), in addition, accommodate the sleeve length to arms ofdifferent length, thus adapting the gown for use by surgeons ofdifferent sizes. This fittng of different sized persons is furtherfacilitated by the girth elastic strips 35.

Except for its sleeve Construction, the gown 20' of Figs. 3 and 4 issimilar to gown 10 of Figs. 1 and 2, and corresponding parts have beengiven the same reference characters primed.

In this form of the invention, the elastic strps ?lil are replaced byelastic sections 48 in each sleeve 25', these sections beingintermediate of the forearm and constituting elastic bands extendingaround the sleeve. Strips 4@ are formed of elastic threads 41 extendingaround the sleeve and stitched to the material thereof at frequentintervals. The strips perform the same ultimate function as strips 323of Figs. 1 and 2 in maintaining the sleeves firmly in adjusted positionon the arm.

As shown in Fig. 5, elastie band 48 may be Supplemented or replaced by asimilar elastic band 45 located midway of the upper arm portion andlikewise formed by stitching elastic threads or cords 45 to the sleevematerial at frequent intervals.

While specific embodments of the invention have been shown and describedin detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, itwill be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise Withoutdeparting from such principles.

What is claimed is:

A surgeons Operating gown comprising in combination, a front section, apair of back sections having free adjacent edges, fastening means forclosing said back sections When the gown is donned from the frontthereof, a pair of sleeves extending from sleeve openings in saidsections, said sleeves each terminating in a rib-km'tted cuif forgripping the wearer`s Wrist just above the hand, each sleeve beingprovided with an elastic strip extending from the cuff to the shoulderportion of the gown, said 4; i I V elastic strip comprising elasticthreads which are stretched 1,193,54S Hart Aug. 8, 1916 in the normalextended position of the sleeve, thereby 1714 491 Em May 28 1929constantly exerting an Upward pull on the cutf, whereby I y uponoccasion to bare the forearm, the corresponding 27239398 Feueg u 1941strip effectively maintaining the corresponding puff above 5 2,616,086Isaacson et al Nov. 4, 1952 the elbow, upon pushing the cu& to suchposition. %643335 Engel J 30, ,1953

References Cited in the file of this patent 2,668,294 Gilpin Feb. 9,1954 UNITED STATESPATENTS i 2,694,200 Pierce Nov. 16, 1954 823,534Hutchinson unerl9, 1906 10 2,705,804 Walker Apr. 12, 1955

